Death of the Author

Death of the Author is a science fiction novel by Nnedi Okorafor told by two narrators living in very different times. In a present much like our own, Zelu Onyenezi-Onyedele is a writer and wheelchair user, the daughter of Nigerian immigrants, trying to honor both her Igbo and Yoruba roots while living up to the expectations of a demanding family. When a science fiction novel she writes becomes a bestseller and fans start calling her the Queen of Robots, her life opens up in ways she never expected. In a far future beyond humanity, a robot named Ankara, built to gather knowledge, forms an unlikely bond with an artificial intelligence called Ijele and is drawn into a widening conflict among machines. The chapters alternate between their two stories. The novel was a 2026 Hugo Award finalist for Best Novel.